Question 1 [55 minutes]

You are required to investigate the effect of glucose and sucrose on gas production by yeast in
different conditions. You are provided with the following mixtures of a standard yeast
suspension:
K1 yeast suspension with an equal volume of 0.2 mol dm-3 glucose solution
K2 yeast suspension with an equal volume of 0.2 mol dm-3 sucrose solution
K3 yeast suspension with an equal volume of distilled water.
Proceed as follows:
Half-fill a beaker or tin with water. Adjust its temperature to between 38 and 42 G.
Maintain the water bath at this temperature.
Label two boiling tubes K1 and K2 respectively.
Stir suspensions K1 and K2 thoroughly using a glass rod. To one boiling tube add 20 cm3 of K1
and to the other add 20 cm3 of K2. Fit both tubes with a bung and delivery tube. Ensure that the
fitting is airtight. Place both tubes in the water bath. Position the test-tubes with water for each
of the delivery tubes outside the water bath as shown in Fig. 1.1.

Fig. 1.1
Soon after you have set up the apparatus, bubbles of gas will emerge from the ends of the
delivery tubes. After a few minutes, when the bubbles appear regularly, count the number of
bubbles produced in three successive one-minute time intervals from both tubes. When you
make a count, begin timing as soon as a bubble leaves the delivery tube.
(a) (i) Record your results in the first two columns of the table provided.

Reading
1
2
3
Mean

Bubbling rate / bubbles per minute

K1 (38 42 oC) K2 (38 42 oC) K1 (plus 10 oC)

[1]

K3

(ii) Calculate the mean bubbling rates for both sets of readings (to the nearest whole
number) and add them to the table.
[1]
(b) Remove both tubes from the water bath and put them to one side.
Raise the temperature of the water bath by approximately 10C and maintain it at this
temperature. Return the apparatus containing K1 to the water bath. Wait for, two minutes
then take three successive readings of the bubbling rate at this temperature.
Add your results to the table and calculate the mean bubbling rate at this temperature.

[1]

(c) Repeat the procedure using K3 at the same temperature as in (b) to obtain three readings
with this mixture. You can use either piece of apparatus that you have used before, but
wash it thoroughly.
Add these results and their mean to the table.

[1]

(d) (i) Account fully for the production of bubbles by K1 in (a).

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[3]
(ii) Explain the effect of raising the temperature by about 10C on the bubbling rate of K1.
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[4]
(iii) State two reasons for waiting two minutes before making the observations in (b).
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[2]

(iv) Explain how you could improve both the practical procedure and the analysis of the
results to get a more reliable comparison of bubbling rates at the two different
temperatures.
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[4]
(v) What prediction about bubbling rate would you make
(i) if you continued to measure the rate in (b) for the next hour or so,
(ii) if you raised the temperature in K1 to 80 oC?
State a reason for your answer in each case.
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[2]
(e) (i) Comment on your resu!ts for K1 and K2 at 38-42 C.
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[3]
(ii) Explain your results in (c).
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[2]
[Total: 24]